Philadephia March 6. 1776
[Extract]
Dear Sir An Express goes off in a few Hours for the Camp & affords just Time to hint a few Things which I beg You Will communicate to the honorable House
It is of great Importance that your Militia should be well armed & equipped & Powder is essentially necessary -without it what will be the Distresses of the Sea Coast Frontiers & how can they defend themselves? I have heard of my Vessel in the Service of the Colony & am apprehensive of her being detained at St Antonio in Spain, I saw a Letter from the Master to the Commander of a Ship arrived in this place, & find that Capt Johnson was waiting for his Crew, which had been dispatched from Bilbao by Messrs Guad ---- [Joseph Gardoqui and Sons] ten Days before & ought to have arrived in two or three at most. He was very uneasy & intended to get another Crew if his own did not arrive soon, & I have since heard a Rumor that the Vessel is detained wch there is Reason to fear. she had on board four hundred & thirty barells Powder, or in other Words twenty one Tons & an half & should she arrive will clear for the Colony seven thousand five hundred Pounds lawful estimating the powder @ 5/ p pound which is low ー but this a trifling Consideration compared with other Advantages ー five Tons were ordered to Cambridge abt a Week since from the Jerseys since which twenty seven Tons & an half have arrived here wth about five Tons Saltpetre & 300 stand arms ... News is just arrived of five Tons more Powder imported into North Carolina, & each Colony looks out for itself as the Times require it.ー
The Congress have this Day preferred General [John] Thomas & made him a Major General; he is ordered to proceed without a Delay to Canada & General [Charles] Lee is to go to the southern Coloniesー
1. Mass. Arch., vol. 194, 269-71a. Warren was Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.